


Replay Value

by starrylitme



Category: Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Altered Mental States, F/M, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Implied/Referenced Violence, Mental Instability, Time Loop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-03
Updated: 2015-06-03
Packaged: 2018-04-02 15:04:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4064401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrylitme/pseuds/starrylitme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She’s not sure how many times she’s played his route. This was either the 55th or the 15545th time.</p>
<p>That best ending has eluded her every single time.</p>
<p>(Post-SDR2 AU where Nanami is trying to fix and wake Komaeda through a retread of the intended island simulation but ends up having to restart her attempts so many times due to failure that she might end up breaking herself.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Replay Value

**Author's Note:**

> This had been a request on Tumblr with the prompt 'video games' and I came up with this terrible thing instead of writing cute KomaNami fluff. But I ended up liking it enough to post it here.
> 
> It could have turned out so much worse with an idea like this jsyk.

She’s not sure how many times she’s played his route. This was either the 55th or the 15545th time. She can’t even count the amount of times she’s found herself in this situation with him. But every single attempt has ended up in failure and it’s a wonder at how consistent this result is.

“I’m sorry, Nanami-san,” Komaeda says, laugh a bit weak as they stare at the ruined pile of sand that used to be their castle. “It’s my luck. It’s just no use.”

Without another word, Nanami started shaping that sand again, shaking her head as she did so. Komaeda almost sounds strained, “Nanami-san, please, it’s fine...”

“We almost got it last time, I think,” she insists. “We can surely do it this time as long as we don’t lose hope.”

Komaeda sucks in his breath, stiffening, and then he hurriedly nods. He does give her a wide smile, eyes bright and adoring, and she always smiles back even if she averts her gaze quickly.

It’s only fitting then that the next wave nearly takes them both out, soaking them through and nearly burying them in that sand. But it’s fine, they can try again later she thinks she says, and Komaeda only mildly complains as she holds his hand on the way to the bathhouse to wash up.

“We don’t have many days left before the trip’s over, but I suppose we can always come to a beach whenever,” Komaeda says, light and cheery. “But we should go to other places too, right?”

“Mm. Komaeda-kun likes the amusement park after all. We should go there tomorrow.” Komaeda’s laugh is a bit harsh, and he shakes his head, to which Nanami adds, “I want to go there with you.”

“W-Well, I can’t exactly say no to Nanami-san but...” he sighed. “You’re so unfair. You’re cheating, Nanami-san.”

_I’ve been cheating for a while now. I’ve restarted so many times to erase the mistakes I’ve made. Sometimes I wonder if..._

_“Nanami, it’s almost been years. Aren’t you tired?”_

She’s watched Komaeda lose himself more times than she was willing to count in these attempts. She should be grateful this is one of the few where nothing like that has happened yet. Even Usami has so much difficulty dealing with a Komaeda-kun that breaks when she’s trying to fix him.

The lodge’s been blown up at least 25 times. Komaeda has tried to kill himself 35 times. Last time, Komaeda strangled her so she had to restart early.

_“If Komaeda doesn’t want to wake up... I wonder if we can force him...”_

“Nanami-san, don’t fall asleep in the shower again, alright?” Komaeda pulls his hand free, nudging her to the girl’s section. “We wouldn’t want a repeat of last week.”

_Or the last several times, I think._ “I may have difficulty washing my back. Komaeda-kun, it’s against the rules, but...”

“Then we mustn’t.” Komaeda’s reply was immediate. “That’d be wrong, wouldn’t it?”

_...Ah. So_ this _is the first mistake I make on this playthrough._

“I...suppose?” To that, he nodded simply before heading into the boy’s section, leaving Nanami staring blankly after him, belatedly wringing the edge of her skirt and dripping water along the concrete. She only turned around a while later and showered. Usami, thankfully, always left them a pair of clean clothes to change into whenever stuff like this happened.

It was a simple process, lathering her short hair and scrubbing herself clean. It’s when she was dressed and sighing at the ceiling that Usami appears and scolds her.

“Nanami-chan, you’ve been working too hard!!”

She only responds blankly, “Komaeda-kun seems happier this go-around.”

“Komaeda-kun was happy the 15th time too. And that ended...” Usami trailed off, shivering with tears in her eyes and Nanami tried to keep the bitterness out of her smile at the memory. “Nanami-chan, your loving teacher has been thinking... It’s okay to rest rather than work.”

“I haven’t the time for that, Usami-chan.” Despite that, she found herself instinctively stroking her neck as through there were still bruises. “Time’s running low already. I can’t afford to waste any more.”

“B-Buu...” Usami’s eyes blinked through tears, that quivering getting all the worse. “B-But it’s wearing down on Nanami-chan too, right? Nanami-chan was exhausted months ago and that she’s still working... If Nanami-chan breaks then I’ve utterly failed as a teacher...”

“It’s fine. Because Komaeda-kun is my friend.” But lately, those words tasted bitter on her tongue. And why was that? Certainly not because she resented him—she couldn’t imagine such a thing after all the time she’s spent with Komaeda, caring for him, and trying for him even as time wore on. “If I can’t help him then I’ve utterly failed him in that regard.”

“Nanami-chan...”

_That’s what needs to happen. It’s been long enough. I won’t give up._

There was still the biggest issue that she’d yet to overcome. It was what happened the most often—rounds she acted through where Komaeda hadn’t acted out and remained calm and yet once they reached that ending, it turned out to be a dud that hadn’t gone anywhere and she was forced to restart yet again.

This might be another one of those times where nothing happened, perhaps, and she leaves Usami behind to meet up with Komaeda again, who was waiting for her and running his fingers through damp tresses. He looked towards her and there was a second delay before he instinctively smiled towards her and waved to greet her cheerily, “Nanami-san.”

_This time may be another one of those times. Not again._

For not the first time, when she gripped his hands tightly, her eyes stung like she was about to cry. But if she did that, they might end up with one of those awful endings again where they’re hurting one another rather than helping each other. There had been too much of that already.

_But..._

 “Nanami-san, is something wrong?”

“N...No...”

_I don’t know how okay I am with this either. Just experiencing things normally without incident but it still not turning out good enough—what else do I need? What am I not doing enough of?_

“Nanami-san, is it the sand castle?” Komaeda asks with a tilt of his head, but he also squeezed her hands back and somehow that hurt. “It’s okay, we can try again next time...”

_And the time after and the time after and then it’ll start all over **again** —_“Komaeda-kun, let’s go to the amusement park now.”

“Eh? So soon? Not tomorrow? Don’t you want to rest, Nanami-san?”

_There’s no time. Even if there was, I’d want to spend it with Komaeda-kun anyway._

Her hand was gripping Komaeda’s tightly it had to hurt, but Komaeda kept smiling at her as they walked together. When she returned his stare blankly, he averted it quickly, a light pink on his cheeks. It was cute. She could see that same sight 525 times and it’d never get less cute.

Despite the numerous fruitless and often depressing attempts, she never really tired of their time together—if anything she _enjoyed_ their time together. Even though she wants this to end with Komaeda leaving this place more than anything, it’ll be bittersweet when they’ll no longer be able to spend time together like this.

_There isn’t much time left for this one. But..._

But she has to do her best all the same. She has to do more than her best because playing this whole thing safely has not and most likely never _will_ be enough for Komaeda’s sake. She has to step her game up if she wants to get anywhere.

_Even if this is ultimately another failed attempt, I’ll try again next time. And again._

If her grip on Komaeda’s hand is bruising, he’s not saying anything. Nanami won’t say anything either.

_Again and again no matter how many times it takes to get that desired ending._


End file.
